BUT the most wonderful time of the year is upon us and so I’m taking this opportunity to get back into the swing of things by teaching you how to make your very own DIY Thanksgiving chair covers.  These are so inexpensive and easy and to make and people will compliment you on your rustic autumn decor.  The best part about them is they are not supposed to look perfect, so it’s pretty hard to mess them up!

Start out with a large piece of burlap from JoAnn Fabric (size depending on how many chairs you plan to cover), some autumn colored raffia from Micheal’s (I used natural, green and burnt orange), a pair of scissors and a tape measure.

{ supplies }

STEP ONE: Measure the length around your chair.

{ 34 inches }

STEP TWO:  Roll out your burlap and cut it two inches shorter than the length around the chair.  Cut the height however you like.

32 inches

STEP THREE:  Cut four small holes down each side of your burlap piece.  Make sure the holes aren’t too close to the edge or your cloth might rip open.

{ not too close }

STEP FOUR:  Take your raffia and thread it through the holes like you are tying a shoelace.  I used all three colors at once but you can use 1 or 2 if you prefer.  The raffia can be a bit unruly so it’s easier to thread through the cloth if you bend it in the middle.

{ try bending the raffia for more control }

{ all laced up }

STEP FIVE:  Tie your raffia laces in a knot at the bottom.

{ almost there }

STEP SIX:  Take some more raffia and tie a bow on to the knot at the bottom of the laces.

{ messy bow }

STEP SEVEN:  Now fit your chair cover onto your chair and adjust as needed.

{ voila! }

Now you have some rustic, autumn chair covers for your harvest table setting – whether it’s for a dinner party with friends or Thanksgiving dinner with your family, they will appreciate the extra effort you put in to making your table look spectacular.

Have a great November everyone!  I’m off to Hawaii next week {for work} but I’ll be back posting more frequently – promise!

]]> http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/11/08/diy-thanksgiving-chair-covers/feed/ 0 jaimepuskar img_0298 img_0299 img_0300 img_0302 img_0303 img_0305 img_0306 img_0307 img_0309 http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/08/22/top-10-wedding-movies-2/ http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/08/22/top-10-wedding-movies-2/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:30:45 +0000 Jaime Lee Puskar http://jaimeleeblog.com/?p=3460 ]]> So I finally got my act together and went to see Bridesmaids this past weekend before it left the theaters (like a good wedding planner.)  Friend Blair and I had a lovely lunch at Mi Cocina in the West Village and a couple of Mambo Taxis later we headed across the street to the theater.

If you have not seen it, please go tonight or add it to your Netflix account immediately.  I’m a laugh-out-louder (as Blair pointed out to our friends at dinner later that evening) and I could not stop laughing.  Kristen Wiig is officially my new favorite SNL talent – replacing even Amy Pohler and Tina Fey (who, in my estimation, could have written a much better book than she did, but that’s neither here nor there).

So of course, I started thinking about all the awesome wedding movies out there and wanted to share.  These are my Top 10 (in no particular order):

1.  Father of the Bride (1991)

In my opinion, this is the best scene in the movie.  I very much identify with George Stanley Banks.

2.  The Wedding Crashers (2005)

Uncle Ned’s kids coined the phrase “Stage Five Clinger” and yet we still loved them.

3.  My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

In Julia’s heydey, we all rooted for her to bust up her best friend’s wedding to Little Miss Pre-Teen Illinois. (Bonus: Brothers & Sisters’ Rachel Griffiths and True Blood’s Carrie Preston play the ‘vengeful slut’ bridesmaids.)

4. The Wedding Singer (1998)

Adorable Drew Barrymore + endearing Adam Sandler + 80′s setting = Wedding Movie Gold

5. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

We all felt a little better about our own crazy families after this one.

6. Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)

Flying Elvi.  Need I say more?

7. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

Patrick Dempsey v. Josh Lucas – not a bad situation to be in.

8. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

Dryness and self-depricating is what the brits do the best and here it is on shining display.

9. Muriel’s Wedding (1994)

More of Rachel Griffiths and the brilliant Toni Collette plus lots of delightful Australian accents.

10.  Bridesmaids (2011)

What is your favorite wedding movie?

]]> http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/08/22/top-10-wedding-movies-2/feed/ 0 jaimepuskar JaimeLeeEventsSignature http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/07/05/my-fourth-of-july-feast/ http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/07/05/my-fourth-of-july-feast/#comments Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:29:29 +0000 Jaime Lee Puskar http://jaimeleeblog.com/?p=3434 ]]> I hope everyone had a wonderful July Fourth Holiday weekend!  I spent mine mostly lounging in and around the pool with good friends, cocktails and yummy food (and intermittently watching Independence Day, which was pretty much running on a loop on TV.)  Last night was our final holiday feast and it was delicious.  I was in charge of the sides and dessert.  Among my contributions were two super delicious dishes – one good for you, one not so much.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Basil and Feta

This dish came completely out of necessity.  I was surveying the ingredients in my fridge, which included watermelon and tomatoes and a block of feta I had just purchased at Eatzi’s.  After a quick Google search I came across what is apparently a pretty popular dish in Greece and is usually paired with grilled meat.  I was skeptical at first, but it was amazing!  I used this recipe but I substituted cherry tomatoes for heirloom tomatoes and I added sliced red onion.  And in addition to be quite tasty, it’s really a pretty dish, which is important to me (note from my Dad: Presentation is everything!)

A pretty and seasonal salad

And on the total opposite end of the spectrum…

Spicy Fried Mac n’ Cheese Balls

Again, looking at the contents of my fridge, I had leftover mac n’ cheese that I knew I would eat all by myself if I didn’t serve it to my guests, but I was in total cooking mode and so I took the extra step.  I found this recipe and the results were greasy, horrible for you and completely delicious!  I served them with ranch dressing but you could make your own spicy aoli sauce or just sprinkle with your hot sauce (I prefer Crystal).

Before

Yum!

After - Slightly burnt but still good

Our feast was complete with smoked brisket, potato salad and black bean dip.  After we ate we went to the roof of my building where we were surrounded by the fireworks shows from Fair Park, Highland Park and Lakewood.  And I didn’t forget dessert …

Mini Mixed-Berry Pies

Made with Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries

Judging by the fact that I only got one bite, I’d say they were a big hit.  I used my Breville Pie Maker, a recent birthday gift from my Mom and Dad.  I highly recommend it.

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend!

]]> http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/07/05/my-fourth-of-july-feast/feed/ 0 jaimepuskar Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Basil and Feta Spicy Fried Mac n' Cheese Spicy Fried Mac n' Cheese Mixed Berry Pie JaimeLeeEventsSignature http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/07/01/summer-cocktail-the-bees-knees/ http://jaimeleeblog.com/2011/07/01/summer-cocktail-the-bees-knees/#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:00:23 +0000 Jaime Lee Puskar http://jaimeleeblog.com/?p=3409 ]]> Yesterday was a pretty significant day in the life of Jaime Lee Events, and I wanted to celebrate with a brand new celebratory cocktail (who wouldn’t?)

I was recently in Washington D.C. on business and was able to spend a little time with my big sister Hilary.  She took me to her favorite neighborhood haunt, Eventide, a delightful restaurant with a delectably seasonal menu.  I had 1) Crispy Pork Belly Confit with Pickled Peach Puree and Herb Salad (yum!!!) and 2) Pan Seared Gnocchi with Shiitake Mushrooms, Watercress, Corn, Meyer Lemon Hollandaise (interesting – I very much enjoyed the gnocchi but would probably pass on the lemon hollandaise next time around.  Hil had 1) Local Crab and Watermelon Salad with Mint, Radish, Spring Onions and Lemon-Ginger Dressing and 2) Carolina Brook Trout with Baby Bok Choy, Jasmine Rice and a Sweet Corn Brown Butter Sauce.  If you are a prospective bride in the area, the restaurant is extremely unique and inviting – dark wood with navy velvet curtains splashed all over the walls – would make a great setting for a rehearsal dinner.

But I digress … the point is before dinner we went to their breezy rooftop deck where I had a delightful and summery concoction called a Bee’s Knees, and I decided to recreate for my little celebration.

Ingredients are simple: Lemon, Honey, Gin.

I prefer Bombay but all I had Tangueray.

As are the tools: martini glass (chilled), martini shaker, lemon squeezer and a small sauce pan.

I made Honey Syrup from scratch – easy breezy! (Equal parts honey and water, simmer until the honey dissolves.  Cool before storing in airtight container.)  Of course I accidentally left the honey on the stove and boiled a hole right through the bottom, so now I need new honey

Note: Do not leave your honey on a burning stove in order to get a good photo.

Once your honey syrup cools, proceed to mixing your Bee’s Knees!  3 oz. Gin, 1/2 oz. Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice, 3/4 oz. Homemade Honey Syrup.  Shake.  Strain.  Garnish with lemon.  YUM!  Perfect for a summer evening watching the sunset (or reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as I did.)

Final Product: The Bee's Knees

I stored the remainder of my Homemade Honey Syrup in an airtight container to pop in the fridge.

Not to be confused with other very important labeled ingredients ….

And I was happy to use these adorable Whataburger coasters I found in a box in my office recently!

Ketchup, Mustard, Pickles, Onion, Lettuce. No Tomato, please.

Feels good to be back in the blogging swing of things.  I hope y’all have a wonderful holiday weekend – Happy 4th of July!

D Weddings Fall/Winter 2011

Also featured is longtime Dallas event guru and celebrity wedding planner Todd Fiscus of Todd Events.  I’ve never had the opportunity to meet this guy but I know several people who have worked with him and I look forward to the day when our paths cross.  I love what he had to say here:

“Don’t make this mistake: Some brides hire based on price, not ability. Anybody can hang a shingle out and be an event planner, but weddings are not only about a bride going down an aisle. They are about guest services, logistics, transportation, and vendor controls. Those of us who do large-scale eventing understand that level of communication and work quality. One average event for us might have 16 companies working to produce, and more than 100 employees working on it. We have to have control over a lot of moving parts.“

Preach.

Thanks to D Weddings for reaching out to me – I’m happy to contribute any time!  Pick up the Fall/Winter 2011 issue today and check out the Jaime Lee Events profile on page 173!

My mom found these star-shaped pocket pie molds on sale at Williams Sonoma (FYI one of my absolute FAVORITE stores, if you ever want to give me a gift just because …) and so this in honor of Memorial Day Weekend we made yummy Blackberry-Pecan pocket pies.  The pies are the perfect size – not too little, not too much – and you can bake them or deep fry them (to be attempted at a later time).

They are the perfect take-home gift for a holiday party – whether it’s the Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Christmas (is anyone else jonesing for Christmas in July?)

For the filling and the pie crust we went store-bought since this was our test run and a total impulse project, but they were still delicious.  For the Fourth of July I’m going to make homemade cherry and, of course, apple

Hope everyone enjoys your 4 day work week!

And once again, I feel she was outshined by her little sister … 10 points for Pippa! (perhaps I feel a bit of little sister camaraderie…)

As for my best and worst for the guests…

Worst goes to Eugenie and Beatrice, Princesses of York.

There are not words.  Was this some sort of revenge because Kate and Wills didn’t invite mum Fergie?  I can live with Eugenie’s hat, for at least it looks like some sort of distant cousin to an actual hat (the dress is ghastly) but Beatrice’s hat … is she involved in some kind of a dare?  Is she in competition with Lady Gaga?

And best, no surprise here, was Victoria Beckham.

She’s pregnant.  Looks at the shoes.  “Nuf said.

Yes, she played it a little safe.  Yes her bouquet was BORING.  And yes, she basically copied Grace Kelly, but still, she looked beautiful.  Well-played Kate.  I just would have liked to have seen this look a bit modernized (a la Ivanka Trump here.)

The Inspiration:

The Dress

But I think the real winner this morning was Kate’s little sister Pippa!  She knocked it out of the park with her sleek and stunning Sarah Burton bridesmaid gown!  Did she steal just a little bit of Kate’s thunder?  I’m curious to see how bridal designers will spin both these looks on the runway next season.

Even though The Dress wasn’t everything I’ve been dreaming about for the past few months, I couldn’t help but get weapy when Kate walked down that epic aisle.

Now I can’t wait to hear what Joan has to say about all the hats on this week’s Fashion Police!  Happy Royal Wedding Day Everyone!